Sunday, 21 August 2011

Clothes store Urban Outfitters is being sued for using sexually suggestive pictures of a 15-year-old model on some of its merchandise.

The 'salacious' images, taken in March 2010, showed the girl - named this morning in the New York Post as Hailey Clauson - with her legs spread in a provocative pose.

Her parents are suing photographer Jason Lee Parry, Urban and two other stores for $28million damages, claiming they did not give permission for the photographs to be used on T-shirts and other apparel.

Hailey is now 16 and has worked in New York and Paris for designers including Gucci, Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta.

The photo shoot was conducted with the parents approval. Filed in Manhattan on Thursday, the lawsuit alleges: 'She is posed in a blatantly salacious manner with her legs spread, without a bra, revealing portions of her breasts.

'The image of Teen in a spread eagle position making her crotch area the focal point of the image may portray a child in a sexually suggestive manner and may be in violation of one or more federal and/or state laws.'